


Shadows On the Walls

by KittyWillCutYou



Series: A Lullaby for Your Demons [2]
Category: Naruto, Shinobi (Video Games)
Genre: "I'll be taking this!", "Yoink!", Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Crossover, Demonic Possession, Dimension Travel, Fuck Canon, Gen, I don't care how badly this would fuck canon, I said Hotsuma was a lonely boy, Naruto is a sunshine child, Self-Indulgent, because of course, but now he's less lonely, cursed items, no beta we die like men, other canon characters mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 07:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15858723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyWillCutYou/pseuds/KittyWillCutYou
Summary: The village is still teeming with life, just like before, but now the subtle tension that had permeated nearly every inch of the place, from the ground to the highest point, had been replaced with something...else. Something worse, something subtle, like a poisoned blade slipped lovingly between sinew and bone.The wound has gone untreated and it has been left to fester.Hotsuma can taste it.There's an empty ghetto on the edge of Konoha and it reeks of old death and sorrow.





	Shadows On the Walls

There's an empty ghetto towards the outskirts of Konoha.

It's in good condition, despite the fact that it's almost completely abandoned save for one small dark haired child.

There's a ghetto towards the outskirts of Konoha and it reeks of old death and sorrow. It may be pristine, but no amount of bleach can hide the smell of blood and terror and old resentment that's seeped into the very foundation. It's so far away from everything else in the village and something in Hotsuma _knows_ that it's wrong and so he calls it what it id.

There's a ghetto on the outskirts and Akujiki hums in agreement.

Hotsuma never intended to visit Konoha so soon again after deciding to take Naruto with him. At least, not until the boy was much older, much stronger, better able to hide himself. Naruto told him once that he wanted to return one day and that was fine with Hotsuma. After all, he could feel something sinister brewing beneath the village's gilded exterior even back then. He was curious to see just what would become of the village when things finally came to a head.

Perhaps sooner is better than later.

The village is still teeming with life, just like before, but now the subtle tension that had permeated nearly every inch of the place, from the ground to the highest point, had been replaced with something...else. Something worse, something subtle, like a poisoned blade slipped lovingly between sinew and bone.

The wound has gone untreated and has been left to fester.

Hotsuma can taste it.

“Do you think they remember me?” Naruto asked suddenly, curled into his lap where they perched in the shadows of a monument to leaders past. The Hokages of the Leaf, they are called. Their faces are solemn.

They’re curled in the curve of the Fourth's eye and the face is familiar and Hotsuma is suspicious, but the only one who knows for sure is the fox trapped in Naruto’s gut, awake and watching but mostly silent. Akujiki is laughing but those are thoughts for another time and Hotsume pushes them away.

The silence stretches and Hotsuma tilts his head but does not answer right away. Naruto was a weapon to this village, that Hotsuma knows. They remembered him, but likely not for the boy that he was. Though Naruto spoke of his Jii-Jii, even though Jii-Jii didn't always tell the truth and his Hound even though they never spoke and Teuchi-san who always kept Naruto fed...

“I am sure the ones that matter remember you.”

They are not alone. They have each other, but Hotsuma wants to give Naruto more.

There's a ghetto that smells like death and a boy who lives there and he’s all alone.

“Would you like a new friend, Naruto?”

And all of a sudden those big blue eyes that he's come to adore are on him, wide and hopeful. There is the faintest tint of purple to them now that Hotsuma has not come to question. Exposure to demonic elements affect all creatures in different ways.

“Really?!” Naruto exclaimed, excitement thrumming through him and Hotsuma hushed him a little because they're well hidden by Hotsuma's powers, but better safe than sorry. Hotsuma didn't want to slaughter the ninja in animal masks prowling about the rooftops in the night. Then they would have to leave and Naruto would be upset.

“‘Suma-nii, can I really?” The child in his lap nearly vibrated right out of Hotsuma's hold in his excitement and the older ninja exhaled fondly in exasperation, a soft look in his dark eyes. He nodded and Naruto immediately hugged him about his middle despite the awkward angle, burying his face in Hotsuma's armored chest. A muffled 'Than’ ku’ reached Hotsuma's ears and he pat at quivering blonde spikes affectionately.

Akujiki rumbled in the back of Hotsuma's mind, hunger subdued for once for the moment. They were content, but Hotsuma did not let this dull his senses. One of the animal-masked ninja lingered nearby, much closer than the others. It was the one with the hound mask and after idling for a moment the ninja began to move closer.

This one was the one that was most kind to his little one. This one brought toys and patted heads where others were cold and indifferent. Hotsuma studied the masked ninja from a far for a few more moments before deciding that Hound was getting far too close. With a breath and an exhale, Hotsuma wrapped his arms about Naruto and both Akujiki’s and Hotsuma's roiling essence swallowed them both down into nothingness.

___

 

When they surfaced, they were deep within the heart of the ghetto. 'Uchiha’ Hotsuma's mind supplied and Akujiki’s rumbling laughter from deep within his psyche made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. “I don't like this place.” Naruto said, still half curled in Hotsuma's arms. “It smells like blood.” The older shinobi stood and let the seven-year-old stand on his own two feet, not minding in the slightest when the boy reached up to cling to the belt on his hip.

All of the houses were empty and dark save for one, lit with what looked like a single candle. Shades of the dead prowled the streets in agony and small lesser demons nipped at their heels, unseen to human eyes. All hid in fear at the sight of Hotsuma and Akujiki licked it's chops hungrily in the back of Hotsuma's mind. There were animal-masks hiding about the compound, but not many and only three were actively watching the house of dark-haired boy Hotsuma and Naruto had come to pay a visit.

“Many died here.” Hotsuma confirmed quietly and it was the truth; all at nearly the same time, one behind the other, men, women and children. There’s confusion and despair in the air and it claws at Hotsuma, reminding him of his fallen clan and making him grit his fangs beneath the tattered scarf wrapped about his lower face. Without a word, Naruto’s small hand slid into his own gloved one and then like that, the feelings of despair began to recede once again. Hotsuma breathed in once, then out and then he was himself again.

Making sure that Naruto was close at hand, Hotsuma threw them both into a Body Flicker with little more than a thought. Naruto had long-since grown used to moving at such a speed and so he made no sound. Hotsuma remembered when it used to make the boy dizzy.

When they touched down again, the dark haired boy was fast asleep before them, but it was not a peaceful slumber. His blankets were askew and his breathing erratic, sweating and tangled in his sheets, just a step away from thrashing. It was an awful sight and after a moment, Hotsuma reached out.

Eating demons is one of Hotsuma's specialties, even the ones that plague one in sleep and the boy comes awake with a gasp, obviously disorientated. It's a credit to one so young that he didn’t immediately begin to scream, but it was a near thing and when he finally realized Hotsuma was crouching in his room, he went still like prey.

“Why are you crying?”

Hotsuma is once again grateful for Naruto. Apparently. the sight him is enough to jar the other boy from whatever fear Induced paralysis plaguing him. The boy cried out and pulled away, nearly backing himself into the corner of his bed. Hotsuma and Naruto watched silently but they didn't approach because they knew not to crowd frightened animals.

Nearly all things with a mouth had the power to bite after all, even if they couldn't do much damage.

“What-...How-!?” The boy's voice was a hoarse mess, tears wetting his cheeks no matter how much he tried to blot them away with clumsy shaking hands, all while trying to keep eyes on the two Intruders in his home.

“Shunshin,” Naruto replied helpfully with a shrug, as if that explained everything and Hotsuma could tell that the other boy was still terrified, but something about Naruto's presence, with his blonde hair and blue eyes is enough to quell it.

“But-” the boy shivered, eyes on Hotsuma with his silver mask with two sets of glowing pale blue eye slits. Hotsuma knew that he cut an imposing figure even kneeling like he was. “No one can see.” Hotsuma said patiently and didn’t elaborate. The shadows around them writhed and the boy grew paler than he already was.

“Who are you?” He asked.

With a huff, Naruto moved, blocking Hotsuma from the dark haired boy’s line of sight with a grin. “M’ Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto and that’s Hotsuma-nii.” His tone was boastful and he shrugged one shoulder. “What’s your name?” The other boy grimaced, unsettled and annoyed and probably questioning why he hadn't screamed for help yet.

“You don't know?” the boy asked sounding both offended and disbelieving.

“If I knew, I wouldn’t have asked.” Naruto replied, rolling his eyes and it was a fair point.

The dark haired boy hesitated for a moment longer before offering up his name. “Uchiha Sasuke,” he said and it was strained, wary. 'Pinwheel eyes’ Akujiki whispered once again in the back of Hotsuma's head and Hotsuma wanted to ask more questions, but the presence hushed him like a child, tittering.

“Nice to meet ya’!” The blonde chirped enthusiastically and it was jarring against the unsettling presence of his caretaker behind him.

“Why do you cry?” Hotsume asked, as if he couldn’t already guess, as if he couldn’t hear Akujiki whispering in his ears of slaughter and death and red pinwheel eyes and the boy, Sasuke, looked to him, shaking his head, scared but defiant. “Why do you stay here?” he prodded, watching impassively as Sasuke curled in on himself. “Aren’t you lonely?” Akujiki hissed a laugh in depths his mind and Sasuke shivered despite the fact that he couldn’t hear Akujiki like Hotsuma could.

“I don’t need anyone!”

Sasuke’s voice was like a shot in the dark and after it faded, everything was still. Sasuke probably expected the ANBU he knew were probably watching him to come rushing in, but there was nothing. He stared at the two intruders in his room and they stared back.

“Everyone needs someone.” said Hotsuma and Naruto settled back on the floor, just within reach of the crouching older shinobi. “Why do you linger here? You don’t have to stay.”

They watched Sasuke shake his head in denial, black hair plastered to his forehead with sweat. “No...” His voice was weak but full of anger and despair, still thick with sleep and tears. “No, I don’t need anyone, I’m the only one who can do it!” He gripped the sheets in his small hands, knuckles bone-white and showing through his skin.

Their eyes bored into him and the shadows danced and for some reason Sasuke felt that he needed them to understand, to stop asking questions with their eyes!

Why, why, _why?_

“I’m too weak.” Sasuke snarled, “I have to do it alone, I have to become stronger so I can kill that man! He said I had to, he said it’s the only way, he said he wants-”

“He’s a murderer. Who cares what he wants.” Hotsuma’s voice was unwavering and Sasuke felt as if the man were looking right through him, directly into his soul. Hotsuma didn’t need to know specifics, he could infer enough just by listening. "You do not have to be alone to become stronger. You do not have to do what that man told you, just because he said it was so. You do not have to stay here.” Hotsuma patiently insisted. “You don’t have to be lonely.”

And Sasuke wanted to scream and rage because he’d already told them that he had no choice, why couldn’t they understand, why couldn’t they just leave and how dare they?

But…

_He’s a murderer. Who cares what he wants._

Sasuke is so alone now.

The village is big and yet not and there are no more Uchiha in Konoha save for him. The children want to be his friends because of his name not because he’s himself and the adults pity him and treat him like he’s fragile. They’re always watching, always judging, the Hokage, the civilians, the shinobi, the village.

And he is alone.

“You should come with us.” Said the blonde boy, Naruto, with his big blue eyes and were the pupils slitted like that before or had Sasuke simply imagined they were round? Naruto reached out, offering his hand and the older shinobi watched silently in his eerie silver mask with two sets of glowing eyes. They were red. Weren’t they blue before? Sasuke isn’t so sure anymore and for some reason that didn’t scare him like it should. 

 

The  tattered scarf about the shinobi’s mouth was as red as blood and it fell over the man’s broad shoulder, pooling by his hand.

 

He was so lonely.

 

“What do you want to do?”

 

Barely anyone ever asked Sasuke that in any way that really mattered. But here was this stranger, asking him that like it was the only thing that mattered.

 

“I need to get stronger, so I can kill that man.” The look in Sasuke’s eyes was desperate, far more so than the eyes of any seven year old had any right to be. Hotsuma remembered a an old saying from when he was a child, still learning under his master. _"When embarking on a journey of revenge dig two graves."_ Hotsuma had survived his own journey of revenge, perhaps this boy would too...or perhaps not.

 

“Hotsuma-nii made me strong. He can make you strong too.” Naruto smiled, bright and blinding.

 

The shadows writhed and then they bore down heavy, twisting and it wouldn’t be long before the animal masks hiding about the area finally noticed that something was off. Something like animal awareness at the back of their minds would wake up and rear and they would know without seeing and _it was about time._

 

Sasuke wanted to be stronger, Sasuke wanted to be able to kill _that man_ , Sasuke wanted-...

 

What did Sasuke want?

 

The animal masks were agitated and starting to move and Sasuke _wanted_. He wanted so badly, so he reached out for the boy with the blue eyes and blonde hair and let him pull them both into the curve of the crouching shinobi, wreathed in shadow and blood red.

 

The Uchiha Compound is far from the heart of the village.

 

There's a ghetto on the edge of Konoha and it reeks of old death and sorrow and now it is empty. 


End file.
